


The Decaying City (A Zootopia/Dying Light AU)

by SpazzieBunnie



Category: Dying Light (Video Game), Zootopia (2016)
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Gen, Horror, OC, Zombies, zoosona
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:01:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23798893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpazzieBunnie/pseuds/SpazzieBunnie
Summary: Zootopia suffered another virus that almost wiped out their beloved city. When it returned, they became prepared. Their city is no longer dead, but slowly decaying. Life barely clings on to Zootopia with all of its might. Could there be a cure to stop this virus? Could everyone form truths and bring peace? Only time will tell. For now, they live by one motto. Good Night, Good Luck.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	1. Story So Far

“You sure you’re up for this? Once you accept this mission, there is no going back until the goal is accomplished.”

“You know my answer.”

“Of course. You will be dropped in by one of our Carrier Planes. Five minutes after they drop the supplies, you’ll drop out and land on the city.”

“Gotcha.”

“I must warn you. It will be dangerous.”

“I know the city is dangerous. I can handle the horrors that appear in front of me.”

“Even if it just so happens to be her?”

“Yes…”

“Alright then. You got twenty minutes to pack what you need. Good luck H. We need to save the world.”

“I know.”

A repeating pattern is something that can happen to any mammal in their lives. Like getting calls from a scammer, or getting to fail the trick many times. Repeating can even happen to a city. Even a flourishing utopia suffers from that vicious cycle of repeats. And sometimes, that said repeat can end up being a chaotic event. Whether by viruses or by destructive weather, many cities wouldn’t suffer from the harshness of life. Yet Zootopia, though full of mammals and having a great future, suffered with its city being nothing but for the dead.

Six years ago was one of the biggest news to come across many other states, cities, and towns outside of Zootopia. That city was now under full lockdown quarantine. The reason was because of a virus. This virus was a mutated form of a rabies-like pathogen. Being spread by a simple bite. Once you are bitten, it will be within minutes or hours depending on the health of the bite victim.

What really stunned the world in disbelief was the fact that the mammals would die from these infectious bites. Yet, they came alive. But they were not alive. They were dead. The undead walking amongst the living. Romero’s fantasy had become an unfortunate reality. However after almost a year since this virus, being nicknamed the Zootopia Virus, had spread around the city, a cure was finally shown.

Throughout the bloodshed and terror-filled months were many strands of controversies. GRE, short of Global Relief Effort, was doxxed and was shown by the government and senators that the once renowned mammalitarian organization planned to weaponize the virus. 

All of the mammals were at an uproar. Demanding a new way to save the citizens of Zootopia from this virus. The GRE was shutted down. Their planes being taken by the government to keep the supplies coming to help as many mammals as they could. A new organization was formed, being known as the Zootopian Cure Research Center. ZCRC for short. 

Within a matter of months after the GRE was under federal investigation and later their founders were sent to maximum security prison, the ZCRC was able to administer a cure. All thanks to the inside help of two doctors in Zootopia. The late Dr. Zere whose research was the true principle of a cure being developed, and Dr. Camden who spent every single hour and day making a possible cure with his fallen partners notes. Before the new year could ring its bells the cure was made as a gift for the new year. 

All of Zootopia gave praise, thank yous, and even donations to the ZCRC. The government hailed the organization and the two doctors as saviors. Throughout the years they will be remembered as the “Virus Killers”. In honor of saving the city, Zootopia placed a statue of two saviors that saved that place. Right in the heart of Savannah Central lays the statue of the old coyote Dr. Zere and of the local hero wolf Kyle Crane. 

No one knows what happened to Kyle Crane. Some say he died fighting for the good cause. Some say he lives elsewhere away from the fame. No one could find him. He was a mysterious angel to the eyes of the people.

Zootopia was safe. No more horrors. No more of the dead walking and eating the flesh of the innocent. The mammals were slowly growing back and being extra cautious with their surroundings. The flowers grew more. The citizens were thankful to have survived the horrific year. No more blood and chaos in the streets. It was only the breathing and healthy mammals that walked on the crosswalks. The bodies were burned and cremated to prevent another outbreak. Being too careful doesn’t hurt after all.

At least, for six years it was tranquil . Until the repeating factor kicked in with force. The virus had come back due to an unknown source. No one was knowing where the origin started, but the virus was mutating. It evolved greatly. You turn from being bitten still, but the mutations were much worse. Toads, Goons, and even Demolishers were coming back with much more potent mutated abilities. More mammals were getting infected. Yet, they were more prepared. 

They wouldn’t have a repeat. Not again. That word was nothing but a nuisance to the people. They fought back. Granted, lives were claimed. But over months they were able to have a life built around this diseased plague that once ruined the utopia they called home.

Now factions are growing in numbers, the ZCRC keep trying to perfect their new cure as this virus will counter attack the older one, and Zootopia is under heavy quarantine without the citizen’s inside panicking. All of this was still happening over the course of four years after the second infection. 

The government, being desperate in trying to have a cure be found at quick pace, has given permission for another organization to go in and help the ZCRC to hasten a vaccine. The GRE returned with new leadership and now under surveillance of both the senators and the world as they were the most controversial and most hated organization of the world.

The GRE settled up bases to help understand further of this virus. Why is it mutating? How could it be rejecting the vaccine for the first infection? The top scientists and military personnel were working hard on this. The same being said for ZCRC who also have set up bases around areas, both cooperating to find a way to fight the virus.

Now, Zootopia wasn’t going to be a wasteland again. No. it was going to be standing but under no rule. No gods, no masters. They were on their own with each faction doing their own set of rules. They were determined to survive the days and the nights. That was something that all of the mammals of Zootopia agreed on. To survive and live to tell the tale. 

In the undead apocalyptic setting of Zootopia, even though they are of different beliefs, they all lived in one simple motto.

Good Night, Good Luck.


	2. Chapter 1: Ghost District

Weather can be a weapon. The storms. The time. The heat and cold can be both your enemy and your friend. Whether it be the rain helps you escape without making a noise or having it create loud splashes to alert others. Whether it be the heat making your enemies less likely to be out and having it loot more items or you be cooked alive by the scorching sun. Weather is one of the most important details of plans. For if you were to dismiss the weather, Mother Nature will strike something down upon anyone in her way. 

Zootopia was very unique when it came to nature. Along with having twelve ecosystems, the city itself had many districts that each had a different setting meant for a specific type of mammals. From the Rainforest District to the Sahara Square. These districts had their own weather system. The Sahara Square was a desert oasis meant for the mammals that love the heat and for desert-swelling citizens. 

The Rainforest District was more of a foliage and resource of natural water that helped power the small communities that live near or even in that District. Each District has their own weather. Rain, heat, and even snow. Savanna Central was the only District where it’s weather system seemed standard with the four seasons seeming to be normal with Fall being Fall, Summer being Summer, and of course Winter being Winter. Tundratown during the Winter season, though it’s temperature was between twenty and thirty degrees fahrenheit, could have been a goldmine for living mammals.

The undead walked. Those infected citizens were all over the areas and seemed to be having their mutations be created in those Districts. Yet, Tundratown seemed like a quiet ghosttown. Granted the dead still walk on the icy roads and snow covered streets looking for their next victim to munch on. But they seemed weaker. Even slower. It could be that their blood and decayed flesh were just so lifeless and so cold that the very low celsius was enough to make them struggle to walk. Some could even stand still in the snowy wasteland. Stuck to be forever a statue until their bodies could muster up some sort of strength. 

This was perfect for two small mammals who walked down the shivering snowing area with ease. Having to wear snow goggles and thick winter clothing to have them stroll with ease during this terrible weather. Having a scarf around their mouth and nose to keep them from getting frostbite. It seemed that a blizzard was drawing near and that they only had precious time by their side. They couldn’t take any skidoo to drive in due to the gas being siphoned from many of them or their engines were frozen solid in a block of ice. So they were on their back paws in the streets.

The forceful wind was all that could be heard. The groans of the infected were silent. Too weak to call for any assistance. Despite the chaotic setting it felt peaceful to be around a place that isn’t filled with Biters. The streets were nothing but a glassy gloss of a mirror with cracks in between. The snow wasn’t as big as houses thanks to the wind. Without that breeze the whole District would have been like a nuclear winter, no living beings in this area but only the flurries landing on the ground and snow.

The two mammals kept walking through. They acknowledged their surroundings to only stiff bodies and destroyed skidoos scrapped for parts. The beauty of the chaotic town made their hearts no longer feel the need to beat with heavy thumps out of plain fear. They did feel safe despite the amount of time given before Mother Nature could strike. 

“How close are we to the department?”

“Pretty close. Just a couple of buildings down.” 

They kept stomping their paws forward. Marching with the concept that they could find something good in this town. Many bandits and other factions never thought to come in this District like a pack of vultures. It seemed too dangerous but also seemed to be not so well, economic wise. All they could sell was antifreeze and snow mowers and with their income being of big fresh fish that they sell for profit both in their town and to other towns in other Districts. So stealing vehicle parts and the occasional tools turned weapons in certain hardware stores seemed like the way to go during the second infection of the Zootopian Virus. 

Yet throughout all of the panic no mammal was smart enough to try to break into a place that has all of the powerful weaponry, both for melee and firearms. Tundratown had a police department that had some of the best stock of armors, riot shields, and of course guns. The firearms were pretty robust. Some of them were of the Title II category. Destructive devices and assault rifles and submachine guns were kept in there. Who knows, maybe a Weapon Of Mass Destruction could be kept in the evidence locker.

Lord and behold the figures were close to it. They could see the sign and bright blue and dark gray colors of the building. The one who was leading pointed out to let the other know they were here. They kept going through. Passing by a couple of stiff Biters. Their jaws gaped open and their paws stuck in reaching out for a living mammal. Forever frozen until a survivor could give them the sweet release of ending their suffering. They couldn’t do it, for they only wanted to get what they could loot and leave this place. 

By the entrance and the parking lot they could only see the carnage that took place before. Frozen flesh scattered around and torn bodies barely showing any bone. That was the scariest part about living in this city. You could be dead for a year but your flesh would never be eaten. Never let its bones show. That is how cold this place is. It was scary to die here, for you would be a cold body in a colder place that gives you no rest nor peace. Only mammals with thick fur and tough souls could withstand this District.

The scene tells it all. The infected were able to attack the police station and chew up some of the brave officers that fought till their last cold breaths. Only a couple of bodies were shown. Their weapons were laid across the concrete and near their vehicles. It was a shame though they couldn’t take them. Frost would have damaged the mechanisms inside the barrels and its firing pin. They would be of no use. Even the bullets would be damaged by frost.

They patrolled past the bodies and over to the door that was broken into. Glass shattering all over the inside of the building. This gave the two mammals a look at each other. Either this was broken in by the zombies or by a couple of bandits. They could feel their hopes lowering but their suspicious level rose. They only had weapons by their side. The follower has a hatchet in their paw and the leader equipping an officer's baton.

“Jesus Judy. You better be right that no one would dare break into this place.” They walk inside and keep their back paws away from the sharp cuts of glass. They notice no sign of life anywhere inside. Only the empty hallways and a broken greeting desk. With of course dead infected with bullet holes showing on the back of their heads.

“Trust me. It has only been two years. Plus Tundratown is the last place anyone would go.”

“No kidding. No way in hell could anyone survive out in this place.” The muffled male voice could only let out a shivering groan as he walked towards the desk that was broken in half. There he saw from behind were two dead mammals. One badger civilian and one cheetah cop. Both with bullets in their brains. He felt himself cringing underneath the scarf.

His onlooking was distracted by the female mammal that looked over alongside him. She reached over to the cops body with boldness overtaking her. She squatted down and searched all over the corpses pockets and even flipped her over and was only able to get a wallet and an extra clip. Both being pointless.

“We got to find someone who is part of the SWAT team. They would have the set of keys for the lockers.” Judy looked back at her partner to make sure he understood what’s needed to be done. 

“Well we gotta hope they got a keycard too.” He points out to a door that appears to be the debriefing room in the hallway. In fact most of the doors seemed to be of need of a keycard except for the janitor's room. 

Judy looked over to see it as well. “Ok. Two things we got to find that are important. With little time we got left.” 

“Right. If you were a bunch of cops, where would you hide?” The male questioned as they both started to walk down one of the empty hallways. Before they could even troop further they both stopped to notice one of the rooms was opened wide with a blood trail leading into the room, showing that the inside of it was not going to be pretty. 

With their stomachs already accustomed to the horrors that they witnessed before they kept forward. If anyone of them had a keycard and had the keys to the SWAT lockers, then it would be a goldmine. 

As they walked further the strong stench of rotten flesh and old bittered blood filled their noses through the scarfs. They gagged but just only that. The smell of rotten meat was something the two had grown used to. Almost everyone in Zootopia did. Still, they were petrified over what grizzly scene they were about to walk in on. Their steps created soft echoes as the department itself was quiet. No bickering criminals, no laughter of cops, not even a phone ringing. It felt uneasy to Judy. She always heard those familiar sounds. To others it be a nuisance, but to her it was almost like home.

She and her companion were walking down with their feet trampling on the blood stained floor. It was colder and not so wet thanks to it freezing over. Inside was a story. Five cops were ripped to shreds. Three males and two females. Two of them were a tiger and even a rhino. Their torsos and throats slashed and seemed to be torn apart like a bull in a chinese buffet during an all you can eat special.

One word came across to both of them. “Ferals.” 

Ferals were mammals that were recently infected. Night Howlers wasn’t just the only thing to make even the most sane mammal go back to their primitive instincts. This virus was much worse. They wouldn’t eat their kills like Biters do. No, they kill them with their claws and teeth and then as days pass they would eat bodies soon as their brains and body weaken to become a walking corpse.

“Well, thankfully the Feral either died or is one of those stiffys out there.” The male sounded relieved to know that they didn’t stumble upon a recent killing. 

“Yeah.” Judy looked at the blood stained flooring to witness a white mechanical lock card near a pool of reflecting penny scented bodily fluid. “We found the jackpot.” She walked over and bent over to pick it up to have that small keycard be placed in between her fingers.

She turned and started to walk out of the room with the male mammal still following her lead. Although as they looked around to find the weapon locker, the male did make an interesting good point.

“Wouldn’t the guns be just a cold as the others? If not, have frost on them?”

“You would think, but the room is sealed tight. No heat or cold could ever get in there. So thus, the guns are at room temperature.”

“Damn. You are a smart cookie. I just hope that we got guns in here.”

Judy nodded her head at that hopeful thought. “Mhm. I am sure we do. If there is, we seal the door and it will automatically lock thanks to the battery. They always charge it every morning and it doesn’t get activated until keycards are used. I am sure it has enough juice for us to open and for the others to open if we find the weaponry.”

They stop by the greeting desk to see that by the side of the other hallway next to a set of stairs happens to be the weapon locker room. Granted it did seem to be of an odd choice to place it close in sight, but this place was full of top notch security. Hence why the keycards are of use but also why they were deemed the toughest police station in Zootopia with second being the police district in Savanna Central. 

The two marched forward with confidence growing in their brain. They would see tons of guns. Riot shotguns, UMP’s, even a sniper rifle would make their day. They were hoping that pure firepower was going to be within their grasp. Judy held on to the keycard as if her soul was trapped in it and she had to protect it with her life. This would definitely get them to be hailed as heroes back at their home.

They made it to the door to see that it was up high. Meant for a huge officer to open the door. The two looked at their goggled covered eyes as they were seeing which one will be the one to hold the other up on their shoulders.

The male shows his paw to show a sign of a fist which got Judy to snicker. “Really Michael. Rock, Paper, Scissors?”

“Hey I wanna be the one to open this chest of loot. It’s like finding the holy grail.” 

Judy pretty much would be acting as the one who wants to get things done by the book. Though despite the fact it seemed childish Michael did make a good point. This was like opening a huge treasure chest. So she accepted his invitation to a duel as she formed her paw into a fist. 

“Rock, Paper, Scissors. Shoot!” The paws were drawn and the winner was shown clear as day. Judy pulled out a Rock and Michael having to pull out Scissors. The winner quietly cheered to herself as the loser pretty much accepted the fact Scissors was not their lucky charm.

“Ugh...yeah yeah you win.” He put down his hatchet and went forward to the door. The rabbit put down her weapon in case she needed to lean against the dirty wall. He could sense her jump above him to the feeling a lot of weight on his shoulders quite literally. Now the mammal could carry heavy things but she was built like a rabbit tank. How the heck could that be possible?

Judy was looking up to the keycard slot. Her grin was showing the bold hope was overtaking her. She slid the card into its slot and within a second a beep of clarification was heard along with a green light to go. It worked perfectly. She hopped off her pal as the door made clanking sounds of a set of locks being removed to allow access. They both grabbed the metal door by the edge to pull it open. It was a piece of cake unlocking it, but the metal door frame felt like pushing a bag of rocks.

Despite the struggle, they were able to get the door open. They had their eyes glued to the scenery of it all. Lockers containing large weapons meant for the SWAT team and officers. And in their luck some of the lockers were opened due to the panic to try to take down the infected. Even bigger luck came to them since they could feel the warm room temperature inside. Judy was thrilled to be correct with this. 

Michael looked over to the side to see an opened ZPD duffel bag on the floor. He grabbed and looked to see that inside was empty. Originally their plan was to see if any weapons were inside, shut the door to keep them warm, and return to base. However the mammal had a side quest to follow.

“Ok. Let’s grab the small guns and ammo. We gotta carry as much as we can.” He started to go through one of the lockers to see some pistols were on the stocks. Placing a few ammo cartridges inside of the bag.

“We should just head out.” Judy protested but to no avail. Michael was taking a pair of Glock 22’s and Beretta Model 92’s inside the duffel bag since the more weapons they could bring, the more they could get praise. At least, that is what the mind of the energetic mammal was saying to him to keep going on the looting.

Judy was stuck with a small dilemma. She could loot with him so they could leave quickly or usher him out so they couldn’t take a risk with the blizzard that was drawing near. Her rabbit foot started to tap on the floor with quick worry. Her head raced to pick a plan and go for it. “We can get them later. We gotta move now!” 

Michael picked up a couple of 9mm cartridges before he looked over to her and started to zip up his bag of goods. “Alright alright.” 

“Plus if you carry anymore you might get your back thrown out.”

“Thanks mom.” He joked as he placed the duffle bag strap on his shoulder. Surprisingly they weren’t as heavy. These models must have been made for the small mammal officers who worked here. It was a struggle to carry but not enough to make him complain yet. So that was a good thing.

“Ok. Let's head out.” Soon as Judy said that, Michael gasped as if he was stunned to witness something. His finger points out that there was a riot shield for smaller mammals. It fitted him perfectly as he rushed over to quickly grab it. His arm and gloved paw sliding in the two handles as he gripped the second one tightly. He fell in love with it due to how clean it looked. How polished it felt.

Judy jokes over to Michael at how he could make out with it in the car later. Right now they had to move before they were snowed in. The mammal understood and decided that everything he wanted was in his grasps as he and her went out and picked up their choice of weaponry from outside the door. Judy putted the keycard into her coat pocket and zipped it up for protection. They both went over to the metal door and pushed hard to have it be sealed tightly. The hard pushing gave them the sweet sound of the door locking as their reward. 

With a bag full of some pistols and ammo and a riot shield in arm, their day seemed to be going well so far. A locker full of weaponry was going to get them a good reputation for sure. Back at their base was a desperate need for guns and ammo. Sure they can make homemade cartridges, but getting more would be like getting a bug burger after a hard day of work, it was a reward that would satisfy anyone. 

They headed towards the broken-in door. They could feel the harsh wind blowing against their face. It seemed like Judy was making the right call to heading out early. If they stayed any longer they would be caved in or worse in the snow with the rest of the dead. They walked out as their body was ready to feel the warmth of the car’s heating. It wasn’t too far but it was a walk of shivering twenty degrees. They thanked the provider of their winter gear. 

The two walked out and onto the parking lot when a sound halted their stepping. It was a loud wooshing noise from up above. It was a sound that was too memorable. They heard it clear as day. They used their free paws to put down their thick hoods so their ears could be exposed to the cold so they could detect the noise’s location. Their ears are similar. Big rabbit ears that detect from anything miles away. One pair of ears being of a gray and the other being of brown. 

They looked up to see a huge military plane was starting to pass them by. Although they knew right away what it was. A Carrier Plane, or an AirDrop Plane they called it. Delivering the goods and supplies by airdrop in crates that parachute down to certain places in certain Districts to help the struggling mammals. It didn’t look to be of a GRE AirDrop Plane. So it had to be of an ZCRC type. Either one was good enough. Still, to the rabbits, it seemed like they wouldn’t make it to one of their drops in time. 

“Next time we will get it Jude. For now, these are the only goods we need.”

Judy looked over to Michael. “Still never gonna stop calling me that huh?”

Michael looked back as if he seemed in disbelief. “Well remember, you called me Mike before. I have every right to call you that.”

Judy huffed a chuckle as the two moved forward, putting their hoods back on to protect their ears.. “Well ok then, if you call me again that I will take your ‘Riot Shield Wife’ away.”

The brown rabbit held his shield of protection closely as he was offended. “Take that back or I will make fish burgers for you!”

“Ohh common! You know those are my favorite.”

“Same with this riot shield. I call dibs on it by the way.”

“Of course Mike, of course. You can paint it in anyway you want.”

Michael could only roll his eyes underneath his goggles from her smugness. She really has learned too much from her fox partner. Even if he is gone, he still has a part of him in her heart and mind. “That is a good idea, so I forget what you called me and let it pass...Jude.”

The two rabbits were on their way to their vehicle. Their minds pondering over the future for their good and brave deeds. No mammal wouldn’t do this type of job. The cold? The infected running around? Fear taking over them? That was a no-go for anyone. Except for those two. They both have nothing to fear. They survived worse. That’s why they were known as Scouts for the base. To go do the risky work and save poor unfortunate souls. Whether it be one of their own or of golden hearted strangers. Today, they showed they were going to continue helping Zootopia. One careful step and one helpful carry at a time.

Credits:

Judy Hopps as Herself

Michael Warren as Himself

Biters as Themselves

Dead Cops as Themselves

FeverWildeHopps as ProofReader (Btw she is more of an artist than an editor. Mainly an artist. So yeah. Check her out)


	3. Chapter 2: A Day With Family

Swish

The blade performed a clean swipe on the neck of a Biter with ease. Like a knife cutting through a stick of butter. A satisfying gush of blood squirting out of the exposed neckhole shows the effective nature of how strong both the sharp curved sickle and the owner of said weapon were.The body of the zombified swine falls down to their knees and flops down to the side. Their body twitching in postmortem before their expiration.

The fox looked down at his slain foe. Not cringing at the sight. No feeling of remorse. He was just looking at another dead body that could have infected others if they were still walking. It was almost like a purge. To slay off the infection until there was no more sign of it. Too many mammals died and turned from this virus. He wasn’t wanting anymore to be on this list. It was a purge to make sure no more families were split apart. 

The fox had his red short sleeved dress shirt along with a pair of dark blue pants to go along with his attire. He wasn’t going around unprotected, with his arms and legs being covered with a plating of armor. Thick metal plates to prevent bites. They weren’t as heavy as they looked. But it does help him survive this type of job. 

“Nick.” A male voice called out to the reddish fox. He looked over to the mammal who woke him from his train of thought. There he saw the two mammals he was walking with. A fennec fox and a hybrid fox/rabbit mammal. 

The fennec fox had on a casual outfit that Nick knew well. A black bowling shirt and tanned shorts. The same type of armor being on his limbs as well. He was a small tank from the looks of it due to the fact he had to wear a football helmet with his ears being in a metal casing to keep his ears from being nibbled on.

The fox turned around as he looked at his dripped red coated blade. “Sorry Finnick. Just was lost in a train of thought.”

“Excited to get your paws on that air drop?” Finnick was either playing dumb to get Nick to focus or was legitmately not good at telling body langauge. No matter which choice seemed to be right, Nick used that as his excuse to come up with a slick lie.

“Oh yeah. Maybe a new weapon besides the sickle” He chuckled to himself. A playful punch by the hybrid got him to focus on her. 

“Hey! It’s been six weeks and you still love it.”

“Ok ok. No weapon could ever beat my daughters taste in weaponry. Sound better Waverly?” A silent nod of approval from her made Nick feel relieved at the fact he wasn’t going to have an earful today. 

There was more in common with those three mammals in the dead filled street. It wasn’t just the fact they all carried powerful weapons, it wasn’t just that they all had tough metal armor for protection, it was mainly the truth that they were part of the same group. 

Their metallic plating having an insignia on all four of their armored pieces.. A black circle with three different colored lines inside of it. Purple, Orange, and Red. Those colors made any citizen fear those that wear it. It was a warning to not mess with any mammal wearing those seals. For they knew the answer to who they were.

Bandits they were called. But that was more of a slur. They were Raiders. The three foxes were part of a faction that deals with the raiding of towns and buildings while maintaining a trading service for ammo, supplies from air drops, and even food and water. They were far from cheap, but every mammal that was desperate to survive had no choice but to go to that division. Either out of fear that they would be killed if they left them or desperation setting in with offering to pay for their services.  
Nick was not a raider type. He couldn’t do those kinds of jobs. Forcing his people to leave their safe houses just to claim it and party with bottles of firewater as the others were either dead, turned, or in a worse place to be in. So, he was a scavenger. Looking for any type that his higher ranking buddies had deemed slavable. If it wasn’t, they stick with it til they were picked dry. If not, then they had to think of something else. Their job was to go catch an air drop they landed in their scavenging area. They’d be promised a big bonus if they got the full package inside of those holy pumpkin orange colored crates. 

As for how Nick got himself and his daughter involved in it, well, he was lucky to have been a friendly type during his hustling days. Before he became a cop he knew many mammals that can get him out of a pickle. One of his very few alive friends, by a stroke of fortune, just so happened to be the founder of that faction. With Nick having to establish good deeds with him, the leader had made Nick, Waverly, and even Finnick his trusted companions and let them join his group with the offering of safety for Nick and his daughter. Nick couldn’t refuse, and he didn’t want to disappoint his good colleague. So, to the air drop they go. 

With all set in mind on getting to that air drops location, they walked into the street of one of the many towns of Savanna Central. Cars littered among the aftermath of destruction and quite literally dead streets. From afar were a couple of walking undead mammals. Just walking in groups as if they knew each other. 

Nick was no scientist, but he had a theory of why so many appear at so many random places. Their brain has very little life to it. A piece of their brain flicking parts of their old memories. Telling them where to go. Where they before they perished. Malls, neighborhoods, even in the streets they all go there. Wanting to follow what their living selves had been to. It seemed odd, but it showed there was mammality still trapped in the rotting husks. 

A couple of them took notice of the pair that resembles walking fish-stick lookalikes. Their mouths gaping wide as to practice their bites. Moving over to them with sore throated groans. Begging to have one taste to fill their meat bagged stomachs. The trio were not on the menu. 

Waverly held up her cricket bat that was spray painted with a mixture of green and orange lines with purple around the tip of it. By the swing of her handle she was able to uppercut one undead lion’s jaw. 

Plunk

Nick took a swing with his sickle to stab through the head with half of the blade protruding out of the opossum’s skull. 

Finnick had with him his lucky bat. Only upgraded with beaten in nails. They were the sharpest tools in his shed. With having to encounter two Biter echidna’s, he took no time in his effort to get rid of the foes.

Crick Boosh

Two swings were needed to have one’s head meet the nails and its head slammed on a randomly convenient abandoned car with the other having the to full swing downward to its head with most of the nails having to be penetrated deep into the brain. 

After the first echidna met the bat, car, and ground to split their head wide, the car's alarm went off to alert anyone near. The zombies being the ones near the vehicle. This was both a smart but dangerous move if you were in the streets. And those three were right in the middle of it. 

“Common!” Waverly shouted as she and her dad and his friend started to make a run for it. The noise was loud enough for the ears of the Biters to take notice of the alarm and not of the fleeing Raiders. 

They kept running while vaulting and running on top of the cars to keep the infected off their tails. They were not afraid of the Biters catching up to them. They were afraid of the Ferals. They move with quick speed and avoid the standing still Biters. Waverly doing her slight parkour on the cars, jumping over one to another. Nick and Finnick having to slash and wham those in their way, even dodging them if they have to.

Waverly pointed out that she could see a trail of red smoke coming from the side of the street. This means that they were near the air drop. A sharp right and they will see that glorious case in their arms. Their reward was in their paws. 

A loud roar halted the three mammals. Echoing into their ears. They stopped and turned their bodies around to the direction of where it came from. They knew right away what it was. The second most terrifying sound no one wanted to hear. 

“Oh shit.” Finnick scared witless by knowing full well what it was. In Nick’s view in the distance was two leopards on all fours charging at them. Their eyes being of blood red as it pours out of their sockets. Their mouth showing blood spitting out mid-roar. Both males with torn bloody clothing and bites on their bleeding necks. 

Waverly looks over to her father who seems to be back away slightly. “Run or fight?” Her question wasn’t answered as she looked over to the predators to see one of them was starting to get on their two back paws. Their back legs being faster than being on fours. “Run or fight dad?!”

“I got this one. You two head for the crate.” Nick woke from his train of thought again as he started to feel his paw around the door handle of a car meant for tigers. Waverly was protesting against this action, but Finnick told her that he was an idiot, but not fully stupid with plans. With her offensive yet kind words from her trusted uncle, she went with the fennec fox and run and jump over obstacles to find the crate. 

Nick was glad to see one was on their two legs. Ferals tend to resort back to their past selves in odd moments. In moments of chasing their prey, they get desperate to attack. Their claws and paws begging to attack the non-infected. So they would be on two legs and not four. Evolution had them adapted to being on twos for as long as they could remember. So them being on fours wasn’t more scarier than then being on twos. This virus really does take a toll on the brains of the poor unfortunate souls.

The leopard was charging. Roaring and screaming. His body showing no sign of stopping for a breath. He wasn’t going to let Nick get away. The fox opened the door handle and creaked it open so his fingers and paw could be holding the inside of the car door. He was waiting. The Feral inching closer as he only had a one shot of doing whatever his plan was. Soon as he did whatever plan he had thought of, he had to outrun the other leopard. 

The growls and snarls were closer. His grip on the edge of the door tightened. He was taking short heavy breaths as the Feral itched closer to him. His body was close to ramming into Nick. His arms forward to grab and slash him as the leopard's claws extended out. Nick took a quick inhale to breathe in the fresh air. He raised his sickle up in the air. The Feral reaches close to slash at him. Then the fox took an exhale. 

Slam

The car door met the Feral in a hard impact. His upper body crashing through the window as if rock ran through paper. Nick jumped back with his weapon still up as the exposed half of the leopard was there. The Feral was dazed from the surprised car door attack. Before he could regain any form of consciousness, the sickle came down with a squishy cracked noise being created. The curved blade was deep within the skull, the tip protruding out of the forehead. 

“Nngh!” Nick couldn’t pull it out. With all his might the blade was not moving an inch. He couldn’t deal with trying to fidget with it since the other Feral was starting to catch up to him. He had to apologize to the killed corpse and blade before he booked it. Running down and jumping past the hoods of cars in a sort of copy of Waverly’s movement.

He runs as his heart pounds heavy. His brain thought of every way to avoid the Feral and the slight knowledge of parkour he had with him. On the streets he saw a couple of corpses crawling out from under the cars thanks to the commotion. He jumped over a couple of them and kicked one in the head which created a powerful explosion thanks to the back legs of the fox. 

He turned to the street of where the drop was located. Hoping to see that Waverly was opening it up. Praying in his mind they were not fighting another Feral or worse. He rather be the one in danger, not his daughter and best friend. 

Nick looked to see that his fox hybrid daughter had opened up the second crate. Finnick had to keep a watchful eye on her as he was pulling out a crate of medkits.

The fennec fox saw Nick running over to him. “Nick! You take care of the problem?” 

“One loose end left!” Nick kept his pace as the sound of the Feral was near with both of the two foxes starting to have their weapons in paws. 

The orange fox made it with his family. Going behind them to feel somewhat protected. With his brain having to think clearly now with a few seconds of an opportunity, he started to look at Finnick. “Finnick! I need your shivs!”

“I only got three dude!”

“I’ll make them count!”Nick pulled up the side of Finnick's shirt to see three small shivs made with shrapnel pieces of metal and torn clothing for a handle. He pulled out all three as he held two in one paw and held one shiv by the tip. Being ready to throw it at the head of the Feral.

The leopard finally shows itself. Having to make a sharp turn and almost losing balance. He kept his footing as he started to get onto his two legs and began to run at thm. The blood coming out between his teeth as he growls. His eyes fixated only on them and claws already starting to come out of his phalanges.

Nick takes a throw at it. The first shiv was able to make contact with the shoulder blade of the Feral. Yet he still keeps running. 

“Common Nick aim better!” Finnick grips his baseball bats handle tightly. Being ready to strike the nails into the infecteds brain.

Nick takes another grab at the tip of a second shiv. He aims and leans his arm back. He takes aim and throws it forward. Only for the shiv to hit on the chest where the leopards ribs are located. Even if the shiv was lodged into the lungs, he still was charging with full force. Only coughing up blood in the process.

“Dad! Common! Aim better!” Waverly demanded as she raised her cricket bat up with both paws over her shoulder. Ready to swing like a baseball player.

One last shiv. One last chance before a dangerous fight could commence. He had to make this one last throw count. This time he held it by the handle. A raised arm in the back. His eyes fixed on the blood red Feral’s. A deep last breath. He prayed for the one thing that gives him the good luck he so needed. It was one mammal he can depend on when in situations like this.

“Please Judy, give me the strength.” His last words brought him the force to throw it as the Feral was now in front of them, ready to slash and tear. The homemade shiv landed its mark into one of the eyes of the leopard.

He screams in pain. Pure agony . The shiv that went halfway into the eye socket caused him to back off due to the mammal in him starting to take control over his virus infected brain. Wincing and pleading for the pain to stop. Soft scared whimpers were muttering on his quiver lips. Ferals were one of the most dangerous, for when they were in total pain the infected brain shuts off and resorts them back to their normal lives before the Zootopia Virus kicks in and starts to take control. It was a trap for many survivors. It was a host that played its victim like a puppet. Showing no care of what damage it does to others so long as it would have an army of dead beings. Ferals were the last glimpse of mammals before they succumbed to become Biters. Or worse. 

Waverly saw this as a chance to take. Now or never. She ran forward with her father looking over at the last second and trying to reach over to her arm. He failed to take a grab on her gray hoodie. Instead he watched as she jumped up to have her reach the height of the Feral and swung the wooden weapon right into his face. Having the shiv be going through the entire eye socket and into the cranium. Like a hammer hitting a nail with one powerful swing.

She landed on her back paws as the leopard fell onto his back with a thump. His one eye showing his pupil was changing form. From being slit-eyed of fear to turning into a black round shape of the deceased in patient pace. He was dead with barely any twitches.

Waverly looked over at her kill. She couldn’t believe she was able to take down a Feral leopard. This was huge! A big deal to talk about back over at their base. Getting the Air Drop AND getting to defeat two Ferals? It was almost like she was going to be the talk of the town. Or well, talk of the base. 

“Oh my gosh Waverly that was crazy!” Nick seemed both shocked with anger looming in his tone of voice. “What kind of move was that?”

“What? I have seen mom do it to that one big guy before. I call it the ‘Judy Attack!’ What do you think?” Waverly was too excited to see that her father was very worried for her. Almost a bit mad at her for going for something crazy.

Before Nick could take another chance to act like the upset father, he stopped. Seeing the face of Waverly got him to feel his gut kicking him inside out. Feeling bad if he was to make her frown. This job was dangerous, and he knew- no, she knew that. With him being the only parent, he couldn’t just play as the overprotective dad he was before. Only the caring dad who wants his child safe but also to learn during these crazy times. 

The one thing Nick was happy was that Waverly was learning. She wasn’t young anymore. She was a preteen during the first outbreak. But she has grown. She learned. She adapted quickly to this virus in a matter of two years. He was worried, but yet, his heart was feeling pride in what she was becoming. A survivor. A Good-Hearted Bandit in the eyes of many. 

“That...that’s not bad kitto. Nice job.” He cracked a small smile. Her tail wagged as she was happy to feel proud of making her dad proud too. She then however looked down to witness the hoodie and her dark purple pants were covered in blood. Her rush of adrenaline was so wild that she forgot to notice that as the shiv was rammed inside the head of the Feral it gushed out blood like leaked out hose after it was clear of clogging. 

“Oh common! Ugh. Now I gotta get this cleaned up and it will take forever. This is my favorite hoodie too!”

Finnick looked over at the adult fox hybrid still acting like her teen self. He pulls the shivs off the leopard's body without showing delicate care to it. He wiped the blood on his shirt since he figured he might as well wash his clothes as well. His attention then was over at the stiff face that had his one eye starting at the fennec fox.

“We will leave in a few minutes. I gotta get the last shiv out.” Finnick placed his bat on the skull with a large bruise on his face thanks to the power attack thanks to Waverly.

“If brains are in my fur or even on my coat, I will eat your candy bars.”

“Fine fi- Wait you know where they are?!”

“It’s under your mattress along with your cans of beer. How can you sleep like that?!”

They bickered like usual. Nick would normally tell them to stop and move on and they would head back to the safety that was called home. But, seeing how he felt pride in Waverly and how he was lucky to still have her left in this dead city, he gave them a couple of minutes to act like the one thing that he always wanted during his hustling days. 

He was grateful to have them as his family.

Credits: 

Nick Wilde as Himself

Finnick as Himself

Waverly Wilde as Herself

Biters as Themselves

Ferals as Themselves


	4. An Apology and Short Update

I want to make a very serious apology/update. I did a copy and paste for everything BUT the creator of Waverly Wilde. Due to a technical issue, it never got the creators, FeverWildeHopps, name and I didn’t know about it until today of March 5th 2020. 

I am deeply sorry to FeverWildeHopps. She is the proud owner of Waverly Wilde and another character that will be introduced in further chapters down the line. Whenever a creator's OC appears on a chapter for the first time, I will give credit as always so you will know further down the line who owns this said OC. I again am deeply sorry to FeverWildeHopps. I didn’t know until I re-read the story as it dawned on me since I was curious if the tech issues screwed up my chapter somehow.

Again, FeverWildeHopps is the creator of Waverly Wilde. I do not blame the technical issues, I blame myself for not re-reading it to be double sure everything is added in. I’ll be sure to check everything for now on to prevent a future disaster like this one. 

Chapter 3 will be released either at midnight or tomorrow midnight, depending on the status of my life and if no more tech issues happen since it should be fixed now.


	5. Chapter 3: Coming Back Home

“One minute until the drop.” A voice loomed over inside of the empty cargo storage. Only a pawful of mammals were inside. Three figures with one sitting down and two standing up. The two were wolves in army pilot outfits. Wearing oxygen masks on their face and muzzle with parachutes having to be strapped to their backs. The one sitting down was a pink pig with a lock of light brown dyed hair. Having to be wearing the same attire as the two. Army clothing and a parachute on her back with her oxygen mask by her side. 

The pig looked over to the two. Her look of confusion could be clear as day. “Why do you gotta wear them? You ain’t coming with me are you?”

“We always wear these incase of an emergency ma’am. Either a bump knocks us off or we get stuck by a crate.”

“Annnd when you do fall off the cargo airlift?”

“We are reported to head to the nearest ZCRC or GRE bases or outposts.” 

“Alright then.” Her right ear twitched due to the sound of a mammal speaking to her via her earpiece communicator.

“You are thirty seconds away from the dropzone. Got everything all setted up Agent H?” A soft spoken male voice asked in her ear. 

“Of course I am.” She puts on her helmet and puts the oxygen mask on her face. Standing up as the two wolves start to move away from the aircrafts back door. Going over to the controller dangling around as one of them grabs it and presses the green button. The noise of an alarm was muffled as both the helmet and the earpiece were countering the sound. The pig could feel her body shake just from how cold the inside of the plane was. She knew it was going to be worse soon as she jumped out. 

“You will drop in five...four...three...two...one!” The countdown got her to run forward as her final step on the metal was a big leap. Exiting out of the plane mid and starting to feel the heavy winds blowing against her body. The mask helped her see clearly and breath air due to the altitude. For now she could only see the white clouds and bits of the whole utopia. 

“Agent H, we are located just about 10 miles away from the dropzone. However we were able to get some scouts to fix up an abandoned monorail station and bring power to the rails for some time as soon as you arrive. It’s just a mile from you. You can use it to reach us quicker.”

All she could was listen in and take a gander at what she was about to land on. It wasn’t just a quarantine zone. It wasn’t a city full of the dead. It was a long and forgotten home. She never thought she could come back to it. Zootopia. It was fun growing up in that city. Full of lights and wonder as time changed and went on. She saw everything happen to this city. But she moved away from it all. She was lucky too. She left just weeks before the sign of the first virus outbreak had occurred. She was leaving this place to seek a new life. She didn’t want to be just a Zootopian Citizen. No, she wanted a life that was far more exciting than her own hometown, or at this case homecity. 

Did she enjoy her own place of birth? Of course she did. But as she grew she saw the place as nothing more than just a mere look. She made some good friends along the way, but still, she wasn’t happy with that utopia. She had to move. Going over to another city that will give her the taste, the breath, and the smell of fresh new air. She just couldn’t believe that she was coming back to her home. Right when the utopia is pretty much trying to handle this second wave of the virus.

“We will get into contact once you make it to the monorail station. One of the scouts has a ZCRC two-way radio for you to take before you head over to our location.” She saw where she was landing in. A place she mostly went to during the summer since the beaches were of a paradise. Sahara Square. The District that is full of clays and rocks that helped shape this place and have it grow into a habitable area for mammals of all kinds. Even the ones who were used to deserts.

She always wanted to move there, but finding a place that was for rent in that District was like finding a needle in a haystack. Everyone wanted to live there. She couldn’t blame any of them. The heat was something she could handle. But it was the true awe of the design of the place that makes it seem golden. 

Within her helmet a warning flash from her helmet's lens warns her to open the parachute as she was close to the landing. She reaches her arm to grab a hold of the string and pull it with force to have the pack open and the parachute opening out and letting the wind slow her fall. She could see the whole District and it’s chaotic beauty. The heat of the sun basking on her pink skin. She could only watch as she was descending slowly.

“Good luck Agent H. Zootopia is counting on us to fix this mess, and we are counting on you to help us.” The call ended as her back hooves were close to touching the empty road. Cars scattered around as what a typical apocalyptic setting would have. Along with some dead bodies in the midst of it. 

She landed on the street with her parachute getting stuck on a street lamp post. There she started to unbuckle her parachute pack off of her upper body until she was no longer constricted by it. She looked around. Still nothing but the empty streets. Corpses looking to be rotted and fur and skin seeming to look burned thanks to the unforgiving sun. She was glad to handle the heat.

All she could think about was getting out of this army uniform. Camo didn’t suit her well. Her reason for having this outfit choice was by the request of her supervisor. The government and Ministry Of Defense for Zootopia wasn’t allowing anyone, not even any more scientists or soldiers, to enter the city. The virus was just so bad that they were both afraid it could spread more like with how the last virus did. Last time it spread to Outback Island despite the fact the infected couldn’t swim. It wasn’t airborne, but someone must had come here from Zootopia and gave the rest of the mammals who lived there that virus.

The only way to go through the city in a way was by the cargo supply drop planes. No one could enter but those going to send the supplies to Zootopia. Only five soldiers were permitted there. Two pilots and three soldiers. No more than that. Thankfully, she was able to have those two soldiers help her out by giving her a fake military ID, military card, and everything needed for her to pass so she could complete her mission. Also helps the fact the ZCRC was paying them to help her get across. Sometimes bribery can be the only way to get what you want. 

“Alrighty Helena. You got no weapons for now, but I am sure those scouts got my packed goodies.” She talked to herself to get motivated for the walk she had to endure. She wasn’t a dummy who was new to this place and in need of a map. She knew every crack and inch of Zootopia. Especially Sahara Square. She started to walk with her goals in set in mind and her focus on full alert.

She knew of the virus and the mutations that have plagued the mammals. Ferals, Biters, even the ones that appear at night. She was glad that she was landing in the middle of the day. She did her reports to be prepared for whatever was going to strike her way. 

Helena could only look at the bodies. Some were eaten. Some were shot or stabbed in the head or body. Some just were being cooked by the heat. She couldn’t tell whether the outbreak started in here or in another District. By the looks of things, it could as well be the origin of the second outbreak. She didn’t know the full answers. Yet. She had to go to the ZCRC base to get questions like hers answered. 

All she could hear was the sounds of her hooves on the asphalt road, some fires cackling as wood burns in makeshift barrels with rebars sticking out from every side, and flags whooshing in the wind by foreign stores by mammals who moved in to make a living off this city. The Zootopian Dream they called it. Well, for now, it is now a nightmare that is having everyone begging to end and to wake up to a nice dream they once had. 

It felt like a good solid half of an hour. The pig girl is still walking down with her having no contact so far from infected individuals. Not even a bandit or crazy mammal. It felt odd. Only the deceased and broken glass and blood stains? She could only pray that this thing will not be some crazy quest that leads to many other side quests. Anyone could dream for that to happen.

There she could see the sign and the stairs leading to the monorail. She always took it every summer. It was pretty fast and it really was the golden way to travel. Not so pricey, saves up gas for your car, and even encounter strange and friendly mammals. She loved it all the time. Her steps were still the only sound. Every step she took, she felt her need to look constantly. She could only see the dead watching her movements. But what if there was someone else gazing at her? It was all in her worried head, but even the toughest of mammals have a fear that dwells within them. Even something like this could make them feel terrified over how calm this city is. 

Her hooves were closer to the set of stairs. She could see blood smears on the railing and the concrete steps. She could tell it was old. So nothing bad so far. She looked up to see only the shutted off small billboard sign on top of the stairs. She started to go up with her avoiding the blood spills. She didn’t want to take a bath just yet. First her mind was pondering over getting a chance to catch some rest, get some information about her objective and goals, then tomorrow she would be a busy agent. 

Helena could hear a sound in her ears. A strange noise that she can’t think of. It sounded like a drop of water. The dripping being slow. Lasting only a few seconds before another drop could echo. It was repeating noise that was sounding closer as she was a few steps away from being on top of the stairs. 

She took the last step and finally made it to the empty area. Her prize for making up the set of stairs was a mixed bag. The goods being of the fact the monorail train was lit up with the doors opened. It meant the power was activated and the train was waiting for the passengers to enter. The bad aprt was she was met with corpses. Not dead decaying ones like in the streets. These were fresh. Recently killed with blood starting to form into a puddle. The dripping sound from early being of a splatter form of blood with bits of brain matter sticking on the ceiling of the station.

“Oh shit…” She could mutter out what was going through her mind. The scene itself was too grizzly to bear. Four dead mammals lied before her. A tanuki, an antelope, a goat and even a black bear. The bear having to be the one with the upper half of his head exploded out like a sledgehammered watermelon. Helena could only suspect a shotgun of sorts must have done the brutal job. The others seemed to be either stabbed and clubbed by the looks of bruising and slashings. Helena noticed the clothing on them seemed odd for a couple of scouts. In fact, they looked like swat team members. They had some sort of a modified swat gear outfit on them. The dark gray shirts sleeve was ripped off to be short sleeved and the similar in color pants were ripped into shorts. Some were wearing the dark gray face masks. The tanuki was wearing a swat helmet with goggles. She could see something was added to the vests. Below the line of “Police” in white bold font was what seemed to be a painted sign. A silver officers badge with in the center being an ocean blue colored star. 

Helena got herself back onto track to stay focused on the carnage that appeared before her. This couldn’t have been the works of any bandits. Nothing seemed to be stolen. Not even the weapons they carried. However she could notice a promised bag of her goods was nowhere in sight. Maybe they did get robbed. Or they never got the chance to carry it. She knew for a fact that her clothing and gun were off somewhere, but she still dismissed it as stolen for now. 

Her theory of nothing being taken was starting to be proven right when she noticed that in the goats grip was the one-way walkie talkie Helena was going to get from them. It was a black oiled color on it. With ten buttons on its front side and dials on top for frequency and volume. She squatted down to take it off his paw. Apologizing to the body as she finally gets it in her paws. She gets up and looks at it to see a way to turn it on.

“Well then.” A deep male voice startled her. Helena looked at the train to see that exiting out of it was three goons. All of them happened to be silver foxes. Two of them holding melee weapons. One with a machete and the other with a plank of wood. The one silver fox by Helena’s left happened to have a Mossberg 500 in her grip equipped with a silencer attachment on the tip of the barrel. That makes sense why she didn’t hear any shotgun blasts. 

“You don’t seem to be no...Responder?” The male voice from early looked over to the female with her shotgun.

The one holding the shotgun agreed with him. “Yeah. They call themselves The Responders. Whatever they hell that even means. She’s just one more body to add to the train ride.” 

“Well she is more than some survivor. I know an army mammal when I see one. ” The other female stated. Helene pretty much was thinking to herself that she hates her outfit now more than ever.

“Let me guess. You killed these poor survivors because of fun?” The pig had her mind sharp and her nerves ready for any opportunity to take. 

The male walked forward towards her. His blood stained machete turned slowly as he moved his wrists. Looking ready to swing at the next object in his way. He chuckled. His sharp teeth showed both intimidation and the lack of brushing twice a day. “We prefer our food to be...exotic. Something us mammals haven’t eaten in a very, very long time.”

Helena knew what he meant. His orange eyes displayed the need of hunger. He spoke up with his words in a more serious tone and very much of no need for a way to put things lightly. “I’m thinking we could have some Swine On A Stick.”

A hard chuckle and a more ferocious smile was coming out his mouth. The other two females from the back laughed softly. Their minds all thinked the same along with their stomachs growling for the same food. 

“I call eating her thi-” The gun wielder was jabbed by the side of her head by what Helena could describe as a balled up metal object. The power this weapon had caused to the skull made the vixen drop her own weapon onto the floor so she could hold her head with groans of agony.

Helena took this opportunity. Having to quickly turn herself to his side. Her leg moved in a quick pace to swipe up his back paws. Before he could even blink, he felt his legs were going up in the air with his back heading towards the ground. A loud thump was heard. His head and back having to suffer from the harsh concrete flooring. 

She stepped back away from the dazed silver fox. By turning her head she could see that the shotgun was still on the floor. Also witnessing the brutal combat of a hooded mammal using those fast unidentified weaponry while dodging two females who were just ending up getting more thrashed with each hit the more they kept trying to hit the mammal that was almost half their size. 

The pig quickly got her chance to grab the shotgun as she ran and bent over to get it. Her arms being able to lift it with ease with one paw in holding the trigger and the other by the pump. She gets herself up to see the silver fox was already getting up and ready to charge at her. The barrel was aimed right at him. He didn’t seem scared. He seemed more power driven to give not a single shit of what damage she could to him. His stomach being the one in charge and taking the shots. Helena took no time to think. Only to act. And her finger squeezed the life saving trigger.

The silenced blast coming from the barrel wasn’t the one to stun her. It was the sheer firepower this thing had. A powerful punch that would throw out any shoulder if not used correctly. She was thankful to have the stock to be right next to her hip. The blast had knocked back as she tumbled before she fell on her rear. During Helena’s tumble, the silver fox was in the air again. This time with his body being pushed away by the small pellets that exited his back with such angry force that he could feel his body blown away as if a jet engine was in front of him. 

The silver fox’s body flew a good foot away from what could had been his next meal. His body having to land harshly next to the stairs in which he felt himself getting rolled around. His head, his neck, his whole body feeling the tough and sharp edges of those set of stairs. Even hitting his body on the metal railing. He fumbled down until his weak and broken body landed on the first step. His eyes started to close. He was the first living mammal Helena had taken down.

The newly landed survivor got herself up since she realized she had two more cannibals to deal with. Her body gets as she aimed her shotgun with the stock tucked in shoulder. All she could see down the sights was the dark green hoodie wearing mammal and the two downed silver foxes. Both of them with bruises starting to form with the original shotgun holder having a bleeding head. She lowered the weapon. Her finger was still on the trigger in case this was going to lead into more trouble. With the mammal still, the pig could tell what kind of tools she used to do damage to this. It was no tool, nor even some weapon that was common. The shining silver ball she saw in the midst of the fighting happened to be nothing but a pair of metal gloves. It had that feeling of medieval written all over it.

“Thanks...You just saved my skin.” Helena could only thank the helper of hers. Without them, she would be caught in a pickle. “Mind removing the hood?”

A swish of a big shaggy tail from behind the mammal caught Helena’s attention. It was a strange but familiar look. It looked to be of dark reddish-brown color. The hood was off revealing the one responsible for taking down the two foxes without a sweat. It was a female red panda. Dark green eyes looking at Helena. The fists of hers slowly letting go on their grip. One of the gloves had a bit of red on them.

“It’s Katrice.” The red panda told the new mammal in the undead city. 

Helena nodded. “Well, thank you again.” She looked at the two knocked out foxes. “You want to finish them off?”

“Oh I don’t kill. It’s not in my nature.” Bold and serious was what the red panda was. She meant it. 

“They could have eaten me, you know.”

“Yes, but killing is wrong and not something I want to do, so I don’t kill.”

“Well...to ones of their own I suppose.” Helena looked over at the bodies that now were at least given a name of sorts. “These Responder scouts your friends?”

She shook her head. “I saw you walking and I was wondering who you were. Can’t trust anyone nowadays can you?”

“Nope.” Helena started to hold the gun with her one paw holding on to the end of the barrel. “Hey Katrice. You want to come with me?”

Katrice raised an eyebrow. She seemed tempted but still seemed to be cautious. “Where are we going?” her body language was all telling the signs that she was ready to activate her fight or flight response. 

“Over at a base I got to head to. An ZCRC one.” Katrice right away looked as if she was very much willing to go. Since they were the ZCRC, every mammal was determined to live out with them more than any GRE outpost. Only the difference was no mammals could ever enter a ZCRC since it was a military only type of outpost. The GRE welcomed anyone to enter so long as they could help out. Of course no one wanted to be a member or survivor with GRE. 

“They...would let me in?”

Helena nodded. “You saved my ass. So I am sure you can spend the day and night there. You look exhausted, and not just from fighting these two.”

Katrice agreed with Helena’s notice. She pretty much hasn't gotten much good sleep for a couple of days. Who could blame her? The dead being loud with their groans and even night being far worse than living a single day which felt like almost half an hour passes by due to how much activity mammals do to live another day. 

Helena meant her word. She was willing to vouch for Katrice. To let her go in for a day and night as a reward for being her hero out of nowhere. Katrice looked at either the exit side of the stairs where she continues to walk with a chance to find something to eat and sleep, or she had the newest mammal she barely knew but had connections to the ZCRC with them having to be labeled as a great place to eat and rest despite being for military personnel only. She accepted the kind offer. The red panda really needed a rest. Badly. 

“Hey, could you check to see if you could work the monorail?” Helena asked the favor as she was starting to walk forward inside. Seeing the empty passenger cars with only bits of dropped food and luggages. No body was in sight.

“I’ll see what I can do. Where are we heading to?”

“The Sahara Square District. Is it too much for you?”

“Heck no! I love going there!” At least Helena was partnered with someone who loved the hot weather like her. The red panda started to walk through to the opened passenger cars. Her mind set on finding the conductors car so she could see if she would operate it.

Far away from her sight, Helena started to turn on the radio. Her fingertip starting to press the three button combination to link into the ZCRC channel. “Agent H here. Start the train.”

The voice from before started to speak up. “Do those scouts need a lift? The noise could attract Ferals.”

“Negative. A sick couple of mammals killed them to try to eat them. They are down though.”

“Jesus. I’m sorry you had to see that. I promise you’ll be safe over at our outpost. We are activating the monorail now.” Right on cue, the doors started to close with the monorail starting to slowly move. The voice on the intercom spoked up inside the train and outside the station. The destination was heading towards Sahara Square. 

“Thanks. Agent H out.” She turned off her walkie with her body wanting to rest from the fight and from the walking. She sat on the empty seat with the side of her face leaning against the cold looking glass. Her cheek and part of her face were feeling cool. Her body no longer tensed up. All she could do was what she always did as a piglet. Close her eyes. Let the train do its job. Let her body feel calm. A cool head always goes a long way. In Helena’s case, This was something she could only do once in a blue moon on Friday the thirteenth when the planets were aligned together. A rarity. She had to get used to it. Now that her home was no longer what she had grown up in. The broadcasting monorail was the one thing to put her to rest.

“Thank you for choosing the “Silver Cheetah Monorail”! And we welcome you to Zootopia!”

Credits: 

Helena as Herself (Belongs to helthehatter)

Katrice as Herself (Belongs to Msitu-Vita)

Cannibal Foxes as Themselves

Responder Scouts as Themselves

ZCRC Voice as Himself

Military Soldiers as Themselves


	6. Update Again, But Nothing Serious

Nothing serious, I promise. I just wanted to say thank you for reading this story! I am dang proud of making this story and showing to all of you people. I just wanted to say that to make sure my mental health will not go wack from having to stress over needing to upload so often, I decided that on Fridays I will post a chapter. Mainly since I have time and I don’t gotta post a chapter every three or four days and I can work on other stories in the future.

I do want to say that if I do not post on Fridays due to either being busy with another story in work or something happening in real life, don’t worry, I will always post it on the next Fridays. That way you all are fully aware of stuff incase something seems off with the story aka why the chapters aren’t appearing so much.

Thank you once again for reading this story! I don’t know how long it will last, but it will be amazing still.


	7. Chapter 4: Rebuilding Order And Law: P1

(Authors Note: This is a two part chapter since I didn’t get enough time to work on it as I was busy and was making some other stories. Plus it is longer than I thought it would be. I do hope you will enjoy this chapter nonetheless and thank you for reading! Part Two will come out next Friday.)

Mission Accomplished. Those two powerful words were in the heads of the two rabbits that helped their community. Their brains almost linked together as they felt proud of what they had accomplished. The fact they went through the sheer harsh winter filled District and were able to find something of worth made them become known as bat-shit insane heroes. It was foolish, but brave of them to do anything for the sake of their people. Of their faction.

Judy and Michael just felt pride booming in their hearts. Their eyes having to see the area around them was full of mammals. Young and old having the time of their lives. It felt like the old world was starting to bore fruit. Coming back into being what it was before. No fear. No need for survival. They felt like they were back to a normal life. This was something that mammals couldn’t say they did by themselves. It was all because of the Responders that made this outpost of theirs, which became the home to many mammals, to be safe from the dead and even Raiders. 

The story of the Responders was pretty wild, which always leads to Judy, mainly because she was one of the many Responders that was there when the virus struck again, to tell the story to small cubs and kits of how it all happened. It was more of a recap to those that always wanted to hear the tale of the Responders.

Police weren’t going to back down when the second outbreak occurred. They were not going to let their home be overtaken by the virus again. So, the police precincts in Savanna Central had a quick and almost suicidal plan. No one could ever believe something like that could’ve happened unless they saw it beforehand. Chief Bogo of Precinct 1 had enough of mammals being afraid. Fear caused the virus to spread more, making him lose hundreds of lives of officers who were the ones that took most of the blows of the Biters and Ferals. The water buffalo was sick of it. No more running. The virus had to be stopped before the heart of Savanna Central was crushed like before. He was either crazy or had a sharp mind no one could ever think of. He and his police squadron rallied everyone to fight off the infected. Normally citizens would only run to escape the carnage and death that was starting to take form, but only few had run away.

They believed in his rally roars. Enough was enough. This was their home. Zootopia was not going to be bested yet again by this virus. So, with their paws and anything that could be used as a weapon and even teamwork, the infected were starting to thin in numbers. Judy could recall the look of Bogo during that day. His face and blue uniform were stained of his sweat and the blood of some Biters. He, the police officers, and the civilians were able to clear the entire City Hall and park area. The green grass was stained with red. The mammals were all able to finally catch a breath of safety from the dead. The bodies of the Ferals and Biters were scattered all around the streets and stone walkways. Downtown was secured with the help of mammals that all pitched in. “The Reclaimed Hour” everyone nicknamed it. Because they all were able to defeat the dead and clear the area within said hour. It was something out of a fiction novel. Something only the movies would show in theaters. But it was true. They fought to protect City Hall and the many other buildings surrounding it that later became of use. 

After “The Reclaimed Hour” had happened, they started to make sure the place was secure. Most of the officers went with civilians to drive their cars and have them block certain entrances and exits in the streets and even the railroads to prevent the dead from filling back in the area the survivors took over. Of course it meant they had to rescue as many mammals as they could before sealing off the only ways in and out. This was one of the many ways that made the Responders grow to be a name everyone could trust in the future.

All the others however were able to clear off the dead in certain places. The City Hall, The Natural History Museum, The Art Museum and many other buildings that were built around the City Hall and Precinct 1. Even after going through the outlet mall that was made in the area as well. Every store, every building, and even the hotel nearby was all checked and accounted for. The dead that were discovered were wiped out completely. Only the surviving mammals walked among the streets.

Most of the mammals' breaths were heavy. Having to deal with the dead hiding out in the small stores. They were tired, but their satisfaction would be the feeling of safety over their heads. Only to feel their fur stained with their own and the blood of others. There they waited for the cops to come out of the City Hall and with the mayor himself having been portrayed as a hero to help boost morale. To make something of a powerful speech to help them during those upcoming dark days of what to do. At least, that is what they had thought of.

What they were witnessing by the opened doors by the City Hall stairs was only the mammals in blue. Chief Bogo taking the lead. The look on their faces made everyone feel alarmed. They look defeated. Faces of stunned belief. They made everyone swallow in troubled gulps and sweat with concern. Could this be the one that truly brings cataclysm to Zootopia? Was the virus growing stronger in trying to bring down the utopia and make it fall for the dead to claim?

Everyone looked for answers to the chief of police. His paws were starting to raise up. Right there, at that moment of time, at that place, was where the Responders started their legacy. A speech. A speech from Bogo who seemed to have the mixed look of concern and aspiration. His speech would go down in the couple of years that helped make their new outpost grow. 

“Everyone! I will not lie to any one of you...Mayor Lionheart is gone...he isn’t a Feral or some Biter. He is not among the walking dead that is starting to return to full blast. He is gone...his desk is empty. But, there is one thing I will say with pure honesty. I remembered a couple of days ago he came to my office. He had a nightmare. A nightmare that was following him for weeks. I remember what he told me, “If I end up disappearing or gone from the world, I want order and law to be placed under my absence. So Zootopia can have the will to survive. To give the mammals hope that society isn’t going to die. That order will bring the peace that we worked so hard to maintain. And that law will help balance between moral and immoral so chaos can not reign. We will not become savages.”

Those words touched through the hearts of all that listened. Still, they continued to hear more of what the chief had to say. The mammals eyes all were focused on him now, getting their full attention of what he could say. Even the officers by his side looked at him to know how his inspirational speech could end.

“I promised him that if anything happened to him, I will follow in his honor. I will follow in the steps he would have taken to provide safety for the citizens of Zootopia and to make our beloved city not fall down to anyone or anything. We will never back down to this virus. Until a cure is made, we shall live as survivors! We are prepared for this second outbreak! We are Zootopians, and we will reclaim our beloved city one step at a time! We will not become the same monsters that is starting to attack Zootopia again. No...we will become the saviors of our home. This is Zootopia, and we will not let it fall. We are doing this for Mayor Lionheart, for our families, for our lives to return to what they were before! We will not be still, we will move forward! We will be the Responders that will help Zootopia become alive again!”

And that sealed the deal. The end of Bogo’s speech was met with claps and cheers. Normally the audience would only clap to give off a positive vibe, like with how a kit does their acting role in a play well and you’d have to clap to show respect and make them feel good. That wasn’t it. The declamation was enough to spark the hope of the onlookers. It was believed that Bogo knew the future. With his words impacting the yet to come years that set stone without much turmoil. 

Now, it has been a total of two years. During the total of 26 months, things have changed for the better. The car piled barricades were replaced by thick barbed wired metal and steel sheeted walls with homemade traps from the outside to impale and electrocute the dead should they get close in groups and one van for the scouts to use to jump on and hop over the gate. The park and many other places where grass and dirt resigned were flourishing of fruits and vegetables that were used both for the citizens inside of the outpost and for traders who would trade either ammo, water, or other types of food in exchange for the edibles the mammals grew from paw. More law enforcement officers from police departments from other Districts came over to the area of City Hall, now nicknamed “The Tranquil Eden” by the survivors inside, as they provided more weaponry, more armor, and more numbers to keep the area safe but to also survey for survivors and areas to claim. The outpost was growing, with traders making home for business and many of the empty stores being used as for the traders with different items to sell. Trading was a big deal, since these traders would offer the Responders stuff they find during their scavenging.

So far, they were able to claim many buildings. Luckily one of the claimed areas was another and even bigger park. And survivors flocked to safety for a chance to live as if they were in Zootopia again. The place it was before the virus struck. During the months, the officers and the mammals who became their scouts that helped them were starting to become the now known Responders due to their good deeds. They formed a symbol. They made a color of their faction. They were known by anyone that if they saw a badge and blue, these were the good guys to shape their home.

Judy and Michael were proud Responders. Having to help in any way they could made them feel they were changing the world. That the peaceful ways will return soon. Maybe in weeks or months, maybe even days. All the two bunnies could do was pretty much watch as the convoy was heading down to the armory, which of course was Precinct 1, with their bags full of weaponry from the harsh abandoned winter filled District.

The gray rabbit sighed with her lips growing into a grin. “We did good huh partner?”

Michael looked back at her with his paw having to hold an apple in his grip. “Yeah I did. You did ok.”

“Smartass. I still won at rock, paper, scissors.”

“Ugh...fine fine. We did great with you having to be slightly better than me. Just slightly. Not all the way.”

She gave an accepting nod with her companion taking a chunk of the juicy McIntosh. Both of them were in their casual outfits for the sunny day. Judy having her purple tank top and black ZPD sweatpants and Michael wearing a light blue tee and green gym shorts. It was an odd match of colors for the two in some ways, but they deserved a break. They rather take in the days with the suns in light clothing than deal with the snow filled storms and wearing thick coats. So, lazy day it was. Plus they had no more missions to deal with for the time being. The only thing the two had to do for the day was see Bogo and the others for a meeting. A quick in and out and they could go back to doing their own shtick.

Judy and Michael ambled past a forming crowd that was in front of a makeshift wooden stage that had two Responder wolf guards being on both sides a handcuffed female white-tailed deer. Behind the three of them was a tall metal hanging pole with a long thick sailors rope being tied at the end and swinging lightly from the wind above their heads. The rabbit cop couldn’t look at what they were doing. She knew exactly what it meant. That mammal who was basically being booed at by some of the crowd was a rule breaker. With breaking the rules, it meant consequences. Stealing someone's rations results in imprisonment for a couple of weeks. Trading faulty items resulted in banishment. Harming others resulted in months of imprisonment. There were only two rules that would have the rule break go through the death penalty. The first was attempting to or had commited murder and the second was repeated offenses of stealing or harming. It seemed justified, since it was a way of saying you are too dangerous to be kept alive, and no risk should be made if they were to spare you. 

Hanging was the only method. The only silent and not so gruesome method. They never wanted to do a firing squad. Even if they had enough silencers, manufactured or homemade, they didn’t want to waste a bullet for every single item counted. The audience grew bigger with Judy having to hike slightly so she couldn’t witness it when she saw a rhino Responder starting to climb up the wooden stairs with a stool in her arm. It was only three steps and she was on the stage. The rabbit couldn’t bear to watch. Michael never really felt shock. He had seen death before, but even he felt sick to his stomach seeing it. It wasn’t cruel since it was a criminal, but it still felt like a worse fate to be hanged as a large group watches than to become an infected Feral or Biter or something much worse. He started to feel his legs move faster too with the Responder listing off the deers crime.

They paid attention to the opened doors of City Hall. By the stairs were some Responder’s having a beer and just relaxing. Talking to each other and having some laughs along the way. It was a good sign to see. That everyone just felt like it was the good old days. Laughter and just talking about anything that came across their minds. Soon the rabbits were walking up those same steps as they were greeted by a few officers and scouts with the latters having to look as if they were going for their daily search. 

Making it up the stairs, they could start to see the inside of the building. By the final step they started moving forward with a few greetings from the Responder’s by the opening. Judy and Michael greeted them back as they got inside. The cool flooring by their back paws gives them a slight shiver. It always does. 

Inside of the building was pretty much a clear space. The pillars and portraits being the ones that stay. Many of the flags, the desks, and file cabinets from inside City Hall were thrown out to make space. It was the first thing they did at day one with everyone having to be chipping in. The furnitures and wooden desk were made as fire wood throughout during the first few weeks. The flag poles were not of use until they were used to stick in metal barrels for the dead to be impaled with. Almost every room was cleaned off with them providing little to no reason for being used for something. The only rooms that were used for the officers and scouts were the break rooms and the mayor's office. The break rooms happen to be long rooms which back then had many tables and chairs, and were now empty except for practice dummies and hanging bags that were being used for the weapon practice, both melee and firearms. 

The two walked by with the similar greetings being offered by the Responder’s with the rabbit giving off the same pleasing matters of “Hey” and “Thank you”. They passed by a couple of officers as they were heading over to where the elevators were at. They make it to the activate elevators, with Michael pressing the down button and hearing the familiar things. The brown furred rabbit was already halfway finishing his fruit. Judy took notice and looked at him.

“You skipped breakfast?”

Michael shook his head. “Nah. I just…” He paused for a moment. “I just had a rough morning. Don’t worry, I ain’t stress eating.”

“I’m sorry to hear Michael.” 

Judy was cut off by the ding which was the cue for the elevator doors to open with a few officers walking out of it as they brush by. With the elevator being empty, the two walked in as the only ones with no sign of any mammal coming towards them.

Michael jumped up and pressed the button to the top floor. Right where the mayor’s office is. The button lit up as the doors began to close. There they felt their bodies move as they were starting to go up. 

Michael took another bite of the apple. There, he seemed to be curious as he looked at Judy. A question lingered on his mind. Judy took notice of that questioning stare.

“What? Is something on my face?” Judy went to reach her cheek until Michael halted her from doing so.

“You’re fine. I am curious about something though.”

“Will I be mad?” Judy cocked up a brow.

“Maybe. I was going to ask...did you find them yet?”

Judy just stood there with eyes fixated at the metal door. The stainless steel had a slight reflection. There she could only stare at herself. No Michael. No room. Only the bunny cop herself was standing in the space of Judy. Only she could handle talking to her own self. Her eyes glue to her very own. Her brain flickering to a word to strengthen her. A small word. A striking word. Hope. 

“That’s what I hope this meeting will be about.”

Ding

Credits:

Judy Hopps as Herself

Chief Bogo as Himself

Michael Warren as Himself

Responders as Themselves

Criminal Deer as Herself


	8. Chapter 5: Rebuilding Order And Law: P2

The metal door opened wide. Rather than meeting the pale gray walls from the first floor, their eyes gazed over at shades of steel blue. They got out with the doors closing behind them as someone was starting to use it. This paint choice was something that the mayor wanted to have personally on the floor where he resided. Blue was a color he wanted. It fitted with something that was a deep mammalality he had. Spirituality. Granted, he wasn’t someone that believed in religion, but he did have the show of care of one’s spirit and soul. He showed care to mammals and listened to what they heeded to him. He understood what you had to say. He’d listen to his citizens. That’s why he was a good mayor. A damn great one if you wanted to be honest.

“Seems quiet today huh?” Michael said aloud.

“Means nothing bad is happening. A good sign.” Judy started to walk down the hall where from many steps away was the mayor’s office. Michael followed by her side.

They just walked, admiring the painted walls that seemed to be brighter than before. They just haven’t been up here in so long. Every time they try to remember the memory of this floor, it always comes back and surprises them. It was just so bright and always gave them a mesmerizing look. The blue didn’t just mean heaven and spirituality. That’s just something most mammals of religion would say about the mayor, which many mammals had gone along with since they understood what they meant with the Mayor embracing it. If you studied in art class and your teacher happened to know what the symbolism of color was, you’d know about blue. Blue was also known as the Divine. The walls told the facts of what he was. Truth, intellect, wisdom, loyalty, peace, and contemplation. He was all of those virtues, and no one could ever take that from him.

It saddened many when he was gone. The mayor was nowhere in sight No corpse, no walking dead, not even a piece of clothing. Many would call him a coward, and some did during the first couple of weeks since the second outbreak. But Bogo kept Lionheart’s legacy alive and pure. Bogo reminded the mammals that sacrifices were something many had to do. The mayor included. He even started a whole idea that Lionheart did in fact escape and because of his survival, he was the one sending the airdrops to the city. Quickly, the people got their hopes lifted. That their mayor was no longer in the city, but outside providing the help. Hell, some say he could be the one making the cure. An overreaction sure, but still it was good enough to keep morale high and up. 

These walls were a mural to him. Gone, but will never be forgotten. They will stay in the hallways. Even when the world was back to normal. It would be a memory of why the mammals here never lost hope. They were not going to let the mayor down. 

The rabbits were close by the door. The bold black lettering “Mayor’s Office” on the dirty glass. The lack of cleaning supplies did show, or those chemicals were being used for something else besides cleaning care. They made it to the door with the gray rabbit knocking on the gray wooden door. Telling the mammals from inside that both her and her companion were here. In seconds the door knob was unlocked and started to open. 

The blast of cool air hitted their faces. With the light of the sun basking onto their fur instead of lights from lightbulbs. They walked inside. There they saw the big water buffalo himself. Surrounded by a couple of officers, big and small. They sat on the chairs with a big table being surrounded by them. 

“Hopps. Warren. Glad you could finally make it” Bogo told the two Responders. “Great job on finding those weapons. It really helps to clean off every armory before those Outlanders could get them.”

“Sir, why do you call those raiders by that name? They are- err, were citizens of Zootopia.” A maned wolf officer pointed out. He was technically true, but they had a reason for being called Outlanders. They acted as if laws were a disease. That chaos was better than order. They were someone who’d rather live out of The Tranquil Eden and live among the land of the city and take what was theirs. Out and Land. Outlanders was the name of the raiders that have taken a district as their own turf and slowly trying to claim everything like the virus itself. The Zootopia Virus and Outlanders were too similar, both were monstrous beings that needed to be stopped, otherwise the city would be engulfed in violence, bodies laid on the streets, civilization crumbling before our very eyes.

Judy and Michael went over to a couple of empty chairs. They both hopped up and climbed to get seated properly. The brown rabbit looked at Bogo. “So what’s the meeting all about, chief?”

On the table was a map layout of Savanna Central. It was a cheap tourist map that any mammal could get soon as they stepped out of the train or plane that brought them to the District. It was like that for every District. If you were new, you can get a map free of charge to explore what they got and see the landmarks they are famous for. It was by pure luck Bogo had kept them all for making plans of where to go. On the map was erasable marker drawings on areas that have been picked clean around the outpost. With small red markers indicating that those buildings are Raider territories. Though they were far away from The Tranquil Eden, it was something to not overlook.

Bogo started to draw a circle near a couple of stores. These stores all had something in common. A crazy idea of the fact these were cafe’s. One a popular brand, the other two being a small business. A scout took notice and made a light hearted joke of how these would be for some coffee machine since they haven’t had a cup of joe in so many months. 

Bogo debuffed it. Saying these three stores were of something useful. More survivors to lend a helping paw. He explained that one of the Responders were able to get in touch with someone with one of the many radio’s used to contact inside of the other Districts. This was because it could be either for finding traders to trade with or to seek out to help others in need. This radio call was for help. 

“We were only able to get their names, and their location before the communication went dead. The names are Tolga and Fatin. All we could know of their location was they talked about three cafe places.” Bogo tapped the circled area with his finger. “And these are the cafes. I know them by heart.” 

Michael noticed something unique about what Bogo asked of. Especially with the specific part of this search and rescue. He was surprised that no one's ears perked up as it seemed to fly over them. “These guys must be important if you know and say their names.” 

The water buffalo looked over at him. He seemed impressed with the level of perceptiveness the rabbit was. “They are important names.”

Judy rubbed her chin. She swore she heard something about those two names. It wasn’t clicking to her yet. 

“How high in importance is it to save them?”

“Very...we’d be a lost cause without them.” Bogo sounded dead serious with his last words. They were really that special to bring here. “I need scouts to investigate the area and find them. Find the cafe with its shutters down. That’s where they are at.”

He started to pick out the scouts needed. Three was good enough. Two for lookout and one for extraction. Bogo looked at the mammals capable of this job. He started to point at the three mammals who would bring those two males here. The first was a goat officer. She seemed pretty capable. With her having some muscles on her legs and arms, she could be the extractor. The second pick was Michael. He groaned at first childishly in a humorous way. Although he pretty much knew if he was to finish this, maybe good things could happen to him. So he accepted it, his mind hoping to be the lookout. The final one chosen by Bogo was a cougar. With his depth perception being higher than most of his fellow Responders, he would be perfect for lookout.

Three solid choices. For one mission that was more important than past tasks they have done before. Bogo counted on all of them. “Everyone else, I want you to keep a lookout by the gates. Just in case our Scouts need backup. Are we all clear?” All nods showed they were ready for their selected jobs. “Dismiss.” 

All of them started to get off the chairs and started to make their way towards the door. All of them having to be given five minutes to pack up whatever they need before they head out. Everyone, except for Judy. She stayed with Bogo as the others went out and had themselves going to the elevators.

“Um sir?”

“You know you can call me by my name right?”

“Err sorry! Just...I’m nervous to ask this but have you f-”

“No. We didn’t find them yet.” Bogo got off his chair. Soon as she acted like the professional cop back in the good old days, he knew she was seeking an answer she so needed. 

Judy felt her ears flop back on her head. Drooping in a sad manner. She was desperate to find them. Her beloved fox and their daughter. They were out there somewhere. Bogo told her straight up there was no sign of them. The Responders could not find their bodies, their clothing, not even a way to identify them. They either were in this city, alive or dead, or they managed to get out before the quarantine took effect.

“I am sure they are out there. You’ll find your answer.” Bogo tried to reassure her. This was different. Judy wasn’t a victim like he always tended to back then. She was a cop. A cop who had a loving family and was desperate for an answer. Either they were alive or had become the undead. She just needed something. Anything. To know where they were. So she could find some peace in her mind.

“Yeah...I’ll see myself at the gate. I just...gimme five minutes here. I don’t want to go to the park just yet.” Bogo knew what she meant by that. He gave her the “ok” as she started to make her way to a patch of made coffee by the table. She chuckled from the sight of it. Coffee. The ironic drink for the day. She couldn’t hope but make a soft smile at herself. She knew for a single fact Nick would crack a joke about it. He always knew what made her smile. She letted out a soft giggle with her eyes gleaming with hope. She knew they were alive. That they were in this city somewhere. 

The Responders all were out of the City Hall. Having the sunlight start to cover their whole body without glass blocking most of its vitamin D’s. They tread lightly on the steps until they were on the ground. All of the picked Responders to become Scouts were heading towards the police department to get their gear. Michael couldn’t help but look at the sight of the crowd. No cheers from them. Only silence. They kept their mouths sealed as they watched the dangling body of the criminal. Her neck was held by the rope with the stool having to be kicked off with the one Responder who had that stool from before yelling at the crowd. The deer was lifeless. Only a shell was swinging in the wind. 

“This is what happens when you keep stealing from everyone! This is what happens when you kill an innocent soul for just a bunch of apples!” The rhino Responder yelled loudly at the crowd. Warning those who dare think of becoming a ruthless mammal who steals, or worse. “We want to help everyone! We must keep our Eden safe from the snakes in the grass like her!” She pointed at the body of the convict. 

Michael could feel the rhino’s serious pain. She didn’t like to do this. To be the executioner. Yet, people keep wanting to do bad things to get more out of them. Robbing or killing, it was Greed that was the culprit. This deer committed murder and stole so much. Ruining the victim's family but damaging what is supposed to be a place of good. A place where everyone followed the law. The crowd kept looking at the body. It hasn’t happened in many months. Now, all they were seeing was another warning sign to be placed outside the walls. To tell that if you want to live in our place, in our home, you’d have to follow the rules. Otherwise your body will be literally hanged in display with nails piercing through a thin layer of wood and your deceased flesh. The wood highlighted in paint of your crime to showcase your reason for being hanged. No respect given towards the ones that try to bring down the laws and the order. You would be a sign that warns troublemakers and raiders not to come, and food for the coming and going birds.

Without law, without order, we would all be the hanged corpses outside the wall.

Credits:

Judy Hopps as Herself

Chief Bogo as Himself

Michael Warren as Himself

Responders as Themselves

Crowd as Themselves

Criminal Deer as Herself

Rhino Responder as Herself


End file.
